A vehicle fender panel mounting structure is disclosed, for example, in Patent Literature 1, which includes an engagement socket formed in a vehicle body, and a pressing member fitted in the engagement socket to thereby press an edge of a fender panel. More specifically, a rubber cushion is used as the pressing member, and a slit is formed in the engagement socket. The rubber cushion includes an insertion part adapted to be inserted into the engagement socket, a projecting guide portion formed on the insertion part for guided engagement with the slit, and elastically deformable pressing parts formed on opposite sides of the guide portion.
According to the vehicle fender panel mounting structure of Patent Literature 1, vibration of the fender panel can be suppressed.
Another vehicle fender panel mounting structure is disclosed, for example, in Patent Literature 2, which includes a fender panel provided to cover a range from a front end of a side part of a vehicle body to a front end of a front door, a front pillar arranged to connect the fender panel and a roof panel, a corner window glass fixed in an opening formed between the fender panel and the front pillar, and a molding member mounted to cover a circumference of the front corner window glass.
According to the vehicle fender panel mounting structure of Patent Literature 2, the fender panel is detachably mounted on the vehicle body. In other words, attachment/detachment performance of the fender panel can be enhanced.
Still another vehicle fender panel mounting structure is disclosed, for example, in Patent Literature 3, in which a fender panel has a rear end part extending in a longitudinal direction of a vehicle body so as to cover a lower half of a front pillar extending in a vertical direction. More specifically, the front pillar is provided with a stepped or recessed portion formed behind a boundary section between the front fender and the front pillar, and the fender panel is provided with a mount piece at an upper edge thereof. The mount piece is fixed to the recessed portion via a bolt fastened from a lateral side of the vehicle body, and a garnish is fitted to cover the recessed portion.
According to the vehicle fender panel mounting structure of Patent Literature 3, mounting operation of the front fender can be performed from the lateral side of the vehicle body without opening a vehicle door.
Yet another vehicle fender panel mounting structure is disclosed, for example, in Patent Literature 4, in which an engagement portion is formed between an outside panel of a vehicle body and a plate mounted on an outer surface of the outside panel, and a clip member has one end fitted in the engagement portion to thereby connect a fender panel and the outside panel. The clip member includes an elastic arm portion projecting laterally outward of the vehicle body to press an edge of the fender panel laterally outward, and restricting portions formed integrally with the elastic arm portion and projecting laterally outward so as to grip the edge of the fender panel from above and below in cooperation with the elastic arm portion.
According to the vehicle fender panel mounting structure of Patent Literature 4, since the edge of the fender panel is gripped by the elastic arm portion and the restricting portions from above and below, the vertical displacement of the edge of the fender panel can be restricted.
Another vehicle fender panel mounting structure is disclosed, for example, in Patent Literature 5, which includes a triangular fixed window mounted between a lower part of a front pillar and a front side body, and a fender panel covering an outer surface of the front side body and having a protrusion formed at a rear end of an upper edge thereof to cover a lower end of the front pillar. The protrusion has a tongue like lock piece projecting from a side edge thereof facing the fixed window toward and along an inner surface of the fixed window. A substantially U-shape notched lock groove is formed in the lock piece, and a clip is provided on an opening edge of the fixed window at a position corresponding to the lock piece.
According to the vehicle fender panel mounting structure of Patent Literature 5, the lock groove of the lock piece is detachably engaged with the clip, and thus attachment/detachment operation of the fender panel can be performed without detaching the fixed window.
Still another vehicle fender panel mounting structure is disclosed, for example, in Patent Literature 6, in which a triangular fixed window is mounted on a side body located forward of a front door. A notch having an acute angle is formed in an upper rear part of a fender panel covering the side body, and an acute angle section of the fixed window is fitted to the notch.
According to the vehicle fender panel mounting structure of Patent Literature 6, a circumference of the notch of the fender panel can be firmly supported from upper and lower sides.